t the hour of his death the prince got
access to the castle. He bribed the guards, made liberal promises to the
officers, advanced a large sum of money to the governor, and sending for
the chief priest obliged him by threats to crown him. In fine he managed
the revolution so happily that he was proclaimed king before night, to
the great joy of the people, who conceived vast hopes from his
liberality, courtesy, and valour. The king of Pidir was speedily
acquainted with the news of his brother's death, but not of the
subsequent transactions, and came the next day to take possession of his
inheritance. As he approached the castle with a small retinue he was
seized by orders from the reigning prince, who, forgetting the favours he
had received, kept him prisoner for a month, and then, sending him into
the country under the pretence of a commodious retreat, had him murdered
on the way. Those who put the crown on his head were not better requited;
particularly the Maharaja, or governor of the castle. In a short time his
disappointed subjects found that instead of being humane he was cruel;
instead of being liberal he displayed extreme avarice, and instead of
being affable he manifested a temper austere and inexorable.

This king, whom the Annals name Iskander Muda, was known to our
travellers by the title of sultan Paduka Sri (words equivalent to most
gracious), sovereign of Achin and of the countries of Aru, Dilli, Johor,
Pahang, Kedah, and Perak on the one side, and of Barus, Pasaman, Tiku,
Sileda, and Priaman on the other. Some of these places were conquered by
him, and others he inherited.

1613.

He showed much friendship to the Hollanders in the early part of his
reign; and in the year 1613 gave permission to the English to settle a
factory, granting them many indulgences, in consequence of a letter and
present from king James the first. He bestowed on Captain Best, who was
the bearer of them, the title of orang kaya putih, and entertained him
with the fighting of elephants, buffaloes, rams, and tigers. His answer
to king James (a translation of which is to be found in Purchas) is
couched in the most friendly terms, and he there styles himself king of
all Sumatra. He expressed a strong desire that the king of England should
send him one of his countrywomen to wife, and promised to make her eldest
son king of all the pepper countries, that so the English might be
supplied with that commodity by a monarch of their own n